Top 10 Popular English Swear Words

'Cunt' is the verbal nuclear weapon of the English language. In the United States the term is considered too offensive and only comes out in extreme arguments.

'Fuck' works as a verb, adjective, noun and powerful exclamation. The combinations are endless, from a simple 'fuck off' to expressing total amazement.

'Wanker' is the undisputed classic of British vocabulary. Although it literally refers to masturbation, it's mainly used for a jerk or an idiot.

Whether you choose the American or British spelling, the impact is the same. It's the standard way to describe someone as an unpleasant and contemptible person.

This is probably the most versatile scatological swear word on Earth. You use it for worthless stuff, when you feel bad or simply as an exclamation of shock.

'Bitch' is one of the biggest hits on global social media. Facebook research recently confirmed it is among the five most used expletives in the English-speaking online world.

'Bastard' was once the technical term for an illegitimate child. Today you use it to describe a despicable guy or a rotten situation.

The literal meaning (sodomy) is pretty crude, but in modern British English it has turned into a mild curse for everyday use. 'Bugger off' is simply a politer way of telling someone to go away.

This typically British word literally means testicles. In practice, 'bollocks' is the ultimate way to dismiss a bad argument: 'That's bollocks.' It has a wonderful roundness to it in the mouth.

'Damn' is so ingrained that the British media regulator Ofcom places it in the very mildest category. Originally it had a heavy religious meaning (condemning someone to hell), but that meaning has faded almost completely.